Verizon's Handset Concessions Target AT&T, iPhone — Updated: Verizon said today it will offer smaller carriers access to any cell phone model it uses — even those exclusive to Verizon. Carriers who have fewer than 500,000 subscribers will have access to phones after only six months …

Verizon to Limit Exclusive Handset Deals — Verizon Wireless said it will allow small wireless carriers to use the popular cellphone models Verizon offers exclusively more quickly. — The wireless phone giant announced the change in a letter to key lawmakers on Capitol Hill who have been pressuring …

App stores are not the future, says Google — Apple customers may have downloaded 1.5bn applications from its AppStore in the past year for their iPhones and iPod touches, but the service does not represent the future for the mobile industry, according to Google.

Slowing down the Netbook train — Cheaper or faster? — That's going to be the burning question for computer shoppers perusing the aisles of electronics retail stores this fall. That's when the new line of notebooks powered by consumer ultra-low voltage (CULV) chips will start appearing in force.

Someone Call Security — Early yesterday, we were contacted by two blog journalists who had just been offered internal business documents stolen from Twitter by a hacker. — First, it's important to note how these documents were stolen. In this case, a Twitter employee used the same non-unique password on multiple services.

Changes to IE8's First Run — This blog post details a change we're making to IE8's first run experience, previously described in other posts here and here. The goal of the IE setup experience is to put IE users in control of their settings and respect existing defaults.

App Store Lessons: No promo codes for apps rated 17+ — Developers whose apps meet the criteria for a 17+ rating in the App Store are now running into yet another roadblock, but this time it's not about getting their apps approved, it's about distributing them. Or, more specifically, distributing promo codes for them.

A Hollywood Blogger Feared by Executives — Right now, there's a good chance a Hollywood executive is leaning into a colleague's office and quietly asking, “Did you see what Nikki just wrote?” — That would be Nikki Finke, a well-traveled newspaper reporter who has found her moment as a digital-age Walter Winchell.

Serious doubts — I've never doubted the viability of running a serious business of writing iPhone apps before. For the first time, now, I am. — App Review is problematic when the delays are longer than a few days. Since its inception, having submitted applications about 12 times …

Is Google optimizing Chrome 3 for Windows XP netbooks? — Download Google Chrome 3.0.193.1 for Windows from Fileforum now. — Over the last few weeks, Google has been releasing development builds of its Chrome 3 Web browser in a fast and furious pace. And with each release …

How Google Made Its Q2 Numbers: Squeezing Expenses — Google made its earnings numbers yesterday, actually coming in above expectations. Total revenues were $5.5 billion, 3 percent above the same period last year and flat with the first quarter (when sequential revenues actually declined).

New Tools to Secure a Compromised Account — In our continued battle against cyber criminals, one of the biggest challenges we face is helping people whose accounts have been compromised by spammers understand how it happened and how to fix the problem. The vast majority of people …

Yahoo!'s Earnings Quagmire — The company reports July 21, and results likely won't be good. — BURLINGAME, Calif. — Brace yourself for no surprise: When Yahoo! announces second-quarter results July 21, earnings are going to be bad. With house prices down, travel down and recession-battered consumers …

Opera: Microsoft's ‘minor tweak’ of Windows 7 not enough — Microsoft may have felt forced to leave parts of IE within Windows, since some of the OS's functionality, particularly Windows Update, likely depends on those components. — A month ago, Microsoft acknowledged that its unilateral move might …

Averatec debuts 22-inch D1005 all-in-one PC for $799 — Averatec's 25.5-inch D1200 a bit too large for your tastes (or your bantam desk)? Fret not, as the very same company is today issuing a 22-inch version with similar specs. Speaking of which, the admittedly stylish all-in-one machine packs …

How much did shutting down McColo help? — On 11 November 2008 McColo, a Californian server hosting company, was disconnected from the Internet. This took the controllers for 6 major botnets offline. It has been widely reported that email spam volumes were markedly reduced for some time thereafter.

Spanfeller to Take Equity Stake in Client Projects — Outgoing Forbes.com CEO denies he was ousted by investors. — BLOG TOOLS — Forbes today said Jim Spanfeller will be leaving as president and CEO of Forbes.com. He will remain with the company through the end of August.